Chapter Twelve

Harbor

Leaving the club and finding someplace to be private was a no-brainer. Not a single speck of me that doubted these two men were my mates. Why would we bother with the human notions of courtship when Fate took care of all of that for us. I was theirs, they were mine, and while none of us knew how that was going to look for us beyond this moment, the understanding that we were going to be together from now on was there.

I’d been quick to say I was closest, wanting to get them alone and naked, to taste them, mark them, feel their bodies against mine with no fabric between us. At the time, it was the best idea ever, but now that we were on our way, I saw how flawed it was.

I offered my place because it was closer. That didn’t make it better. There was barely room for me in there, much less enough space to do all the things I planned to do with my two mates. Yum.

But when you thought with your desire and not your brain, impractical decisions were made, like this one.

As we reached my van, embarrassment flooded me. My cheeks burned, my heart raced, and there was a moment of fear that they were going to say, “Never mind,” and walk off together.

They had been doing just fine when I first saw them. Better than fine. Gods, maybe I should’ve left them there and just watched and then introduced myself. What a glorious show that would’ve been.

The dragon, Magnus, let out a rich laugh. “Yeah, I’ve been using a lot of the wrong brain too.” His hand playfully smacked my ass, and my fears flew away. I’d known I wasn’t alone in this heady, needy feeling, but hearing him say it made it somehow more real.

“How so?” It was an attempt at flirty and by the quizzical look that crossed Ayelet’s face, I was a tad off the mark.

“This is your place?” Ayelet wasn’t judgy in his tone, more curious. On most days, I’d have jumped at the opportunity to geek out about all I’d done to turn this into my home, but today, I wanted to get to the naked parts. A tour would have to wait.

I nodded.

“Huh. When you said your place was closer, I didn’t expect...this.”

And I realized I wasn’t getting away without giving at least a minimal tour. I popped the back of the minivan open. “This is it.”

The two of them took it all in.

“You live here?” my gazelle shifter asked.

“Well, not here like in this parking lot, but in the van, yeah. I’ve been traveling across the country, and it’s great. I was able to see the country and work from anywhere, but…it’s not exactly conducive to the kind of evening I was expecting us to have.”

Magnus chuckled. “Wait until you see where I’m staying. It’s like you’re my Jack Sprat.” He took my hand, and I had to admit he was right. “And that means we’ll fit together perfectly.”

He was wearing a suit that probably cost more than my van, but there was no judgment in his eyes. He was simply stating that we’d complement each other, at least in that way. It was an odd thing to say, but also, it gave such a feeling of acceptance that I was glad for it.

It didn’t bother him that I was living this version of van life, one far removed from all the influencers—the ones who were wealthy, playing homeless to get views and edge closer to the fame they longed for. This was just me, living a life on the road, turning something old into someplace I could live until I found where I belonged.

Who would’ve thought that my sense of belonging would present itself in a shifter nightclub of all places. But it had. I knew from the second that door opened and the scent tickled my nose. These two men were my future, and it was so much more than the pheromones and lust bouncing between us talking. Fate brought them here, at this time, because they were meant for me, and I was meant for them.

“We could try it,” I said, because having them leave wasn’t going to work for me, and my jeans were so tight I was about to bust a zipper. “I’m game.”

In hindsight, it was a weird thing to say, given that one of my mates was one of the fiercest predators on the planet and I was, in fact, game. Even hunters who didn’t know my kind existed had been hunting my kind’s ass for pretty much ever.

“Wait a minute. If you’re Jack Sprat, and Magnus is your spouse, where do I fit in all of this?” There was no worry in Ayelet’s tone, but, as with all jokes, there was probably a hint of truth to his words, and I wanted to squash that down and stat.

Magnus and I looked at him and said in unison, “Ours,” at the same time, both of us on the same page.

Ayelet grinned from ear to ear and wrapped his arms around both of us, pulling us into a group hug. “Yeah, that works for me.”

It worked for me too.

“So, my place is officially off the short list. Who’s next closest from here?” The longer our scents mingled, the more difficult it was to ignore the pull between us.

“I think I am.” Magnus stepped back, much to my unicorn’s displeasure. “And as much as I love your home, my place has enough room for us to get creative.”

Creative. Yes, please.

“Gods, I love the sound of that.”